Senior shared flat or Plus shared flat - what suits me?

Shared flats, as we know them from young students, are also becoming increasingly popular with older people. This is because no other form of living offers so much sociability and freedom at the same time. Especially when ageing begins to restrict us, living in a senior or plus flat share can open new doors to our own autonomy.

In the course of our lives, we pass through many different phases. Each one has its justification and can offer opportunities. But it is precisely the phases in which we have to reorient ourselves that initially demand a lot from us. Just as not every young person knows what vocational training they want to start straight after leaving school, retirement is often associated with great uncertainty. As a rule, we also have to rethink our own living situation during such phases.

Here, the "old" can learn from the young and make use of their tactics. For young people, it is the most natural thing in the world to join forces and share apartments. Not only is reorientation easier in a community, a shared flat also offers many financial and emotional advantages.

In addition to joys and sorrows, costs and household tasks can also be shared in a shared flat. Supporting each other in everyday life, having an open ear for each other, helping each other with tips and tricks and being surprised with a homemade birthday cake - all this comes free of charge in a good shared flat. For older people, the feeling of security that automatically arises when we live with others under the same roof should not be underestimated: In a medical emergency, there is always someone on hand who can help.

If you want to swap home ownership and loneliness for a shared apartment in old age, you have various options. The classic senior citizens' shared apartment is a form of housing similar to a retirement home, usually with round-the-clock care. If comprehensive medical care is required, you are in good hands and well looked after in a senior citizens' shared apartment, but at the same time you can retain a little freedom. If there are no major health problems and you can manage without external help, a so-called plus shared flat is a good option. The "plus" stands for the age of the residents, which is 50 years and upwards.

A shared apartment where people over 50 come together immediately brings variety to life. Being together makes you more adventurous and courageous. Whether in terms of sport, nature or culture, together you have the courage to really get going again. It's fun and keeps you fit, because physical activities and interpersonal encounters strengthen both physical and mental health.

The demand for plus shared flats has risen sharply in the meantime. On several online portals such as WG-Gesucht.de, pluswgs.de, wohnen-im-alter.de and immobilienscout24.de, people over 50 are looking for rooms or roommates in shared flats. The shared apartment model is not ideal for everyone. For example, people who have lived alone for a long time may feel more comfortable in a shared house with more privacy. There are also interesting offers for this on the Internet platforms. Incidentally, many pensioners take special courses for senior citizens at universities or technical colleges and get to know their new flatmates through these courses.

Perhaps your home, which you can hardly afford on your own, is also perfect for sharing with one or two new housemates and making it a livelier and more carefree place. Four hands can do more than two when it comes to gardening and house cleaning. Suddenly having to share the bathroom cupboard and the hotplates can feel a little strange at first. But after a short period of getting used to it, and at the latest when sharing a coffee has become a cherished ritual, you won't want to be without your flatmates.